Tag: Nathan Rourke

CFL star QB Nathan Rourke to sign with Jaguars

The former BC Lions quarterback visited 12 NFL teams before choosing to sign with the Jaguars.

Nathan Rourke of the Canadian Football League’s BC Lions plans to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars where he hopes to become Trevor Lawrence’s backup, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Rourke, 24, was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian for the 2022 season after completing 78.7 percent of his passes with 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He was named a Top Performer of the Week five times and Top Performer of the Month twice.

After the CFL season ended for the Lions, Rourke went on a lengthy tour of interested NFL teams, reportedly visiting 12 of them, including the Raiders, Broncos, Giants, and Browns.

In Jacksonville, there’s no chance Rourke climbs to the top spot on the depth chart by beating out Lawrence for the job. Instead, he’ll be looking for the No. 2 spot in 2023 and beyond.

C.J. Beathard is currently the second quarterback for the Jaguars, but he’s due to become a free agent in the offseason. In two seasons in Jacksonville, Beathard has only appeared in clean-up duty, throwing 13 total passes. He previously spent four years with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Jaguars also have rookie E.J. Perry on the practice squad, a former Boston College and Brown quarterback who had one touchdown and three interceptions in preseason.

Browns tryout former Ohio QB Nathan Rourke, two others

The Browns had three players in for tryouts today, including former Ohio Bobcat Nathan Rourke

As the Cleveland Browns continue to seek out ways to improve after a disappointing 2022 campaign, they are continuously turning over stones even as they enter the offseason. Today, they tried out three players, including former Ohio Bobcats’ quarterback Nathan Rourke. The Browns were no strangers to signing players from tryouts this season as it happened on multiple occasions as two guys landed on the practice squad straight from these auditions.

In addition to Rourke, the Browns also tried out two wide receivers in the former Alabama slot Slade Bolden and the former University of Tennessee’s JaVonta Payton. Get to know all three here as we give a bit of background on each.

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Giants work out James Washington, Adam Humphries

The New York Giants worked out a trio of players on Tuesday, including wide receivers James Washington and Adam Humphries.

The New York Giants held tryouts for a trio of players on Tuesday, including a pair of wide receivers: James Washington and Adam Humphries.

The 5-foot-11, 216-pound Washington was originally a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2018 NFL draft. He spent his first four seasons with the team before joining the Dallas Cowboys this past offseason.

Washington suffered a broken foot in training camp and was on IR for most of the season. Dallas activated him in early December before waiving him last week.

In 62 career games (25 starts), Washington has hauled in 114 receptions for 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Humphries signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted rookie free agent back in 2015. After four seasons with the Bucs, he spent two years with the Tennessee Titans and played for the Washington Commanders in 2021.

Tuesday marked the second time this season the Giants worked out Humphries.

In 96 career games (36 starts), Humphries has hauled in 320 receptions for 3,314 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Finally, the Giants also hosted quarterback Nathan Rourke for a tryout. It’s the second time they have hosted Rourke, who tried out as a wide receiver last year.

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Chiefs to host BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke for tryout

The #Chiefs are hosting the 2022 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian — BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke — for a tryout on Monday.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to host several players for tryouts now that they’re permitted to sign players on reserve/future contracts.

On Monday, they’ll have the 2022 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian in town for a tryout. According to TSN’s Farhan Lalji, the Chiefs are set to have BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke in for a tryout today. Rourke has already visited a few NFL teams including the Jaguars, Vikings and Bengals.

Rourke, 24, went undrafted out of Ohio University in the 2021 NFL draft, but he was a second-round pick in the CFL draft in 2020. The CFL canceled their 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so he didn’t play.

In May of 2021, Rourke signed a three-year contract with the BC Lions. He wasn’t a starter in his first season, but he debuted as a starter in June of 2022. He’d go on to set a CFL single-season record, completing 78.7 percent of his passes during the 2022 season with 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. It’s even more impressive when you consider that he missed a portion of the season with a foot injury. Rourke finished the year with an 8-1 record as a starter with the BC Lions.

According to Lalji, Rourke has two more tryouts scheduled for this week, so if the Chiefs want him for the 2023 offseason, they’ll have to get a deal done sooner-than-later.

Why would Kansas City be working out a quarterback? Firstly, they need someone to throw to players like WR Slade Bolden, who is also in town for a tryout on Monday. Secondly, if Chad Henne retires following the 2022 NFL season, you’re going to want to bring in as much competition as possible to push for the No. 2 quarterback job.

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Report: Vikings bring in CFL star QB Nathan Rourke for a workout

The Vikings do need a quarterback to groom behind Kirk Cousins

The Minnesota Vikings have a history of bringing in players from the Canadian Football League, more specifically quarterbacks.

Bud Grant did so with Joe Kapp and they brought it Bo Levi Mitchell in 2018 but ended up parting ways when he came in with the intention of winning the starting job.

The Vikings are looking to potentially do the same thing. 3 Down Nation’s Justin Dunk is reporting that the Vikings brought in CFL star quarterback Nathan Rourke for a workout and a visit.

Here is what Dunk had to say about Rourke.

“The 24-year-old is coming off a sensational season in the CFL during which he completed 78.7 percent of his pass attempts for 3,349 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also ran the football 39 times for 304 yards and seven scores, becoming the first quarterback to win the league’s Most Outstanding Canadian award since 1980.

The six-foot-two, 209-pound passer was a three-year starter at Ohio University from 2017-2019 where he threw for 7,457 yards with 60 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He also recorded 425 carries for 2,634 yards and 49 scores along the ground but received a small amount of NFL interest coming out of the NCAA.”

A native of British Columbia, Rourke is a dual-threat quarterback that has a bright future ahead of him and is looking to make the jump to the NFL. Multiple teams have already brought him in for a visit, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. The last quarterback to make the jump successfully from the CFL to the NFL and have sustained success was Jeff Garcia, who started for multiple teams over a long NFL career.

The Vikings do need a backup quarterback for next season and Rourke could end up being the future if they think he has that kind of future, which if his CFL performance has told us anything, it’s that he does.

5 players tried out for the Broncos this week

Broncos tried out five players earlier this week, including tight end Ricky Seals-Jones.

The Denver Broncos tried out five players — two wide receivers, two tight ends and a quarterback — on Tuesday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.

The quarterback was Ohio’s Nathan Rourke, who spent the last two years playing in the CFL. He scored 32 touchdowns in 10 games with the BC Lions this spring.

The wide receivers were Jaelon Acklin of Western Illinois and St. Francis Xavier’s Kaion Julien-Grant. Both receivers have spent the last three years playing in the CFL.

The tight ends were San Diego State’s Kahale Warring and Texas A&M’s Ricky Seals-Jones. Warring has spent time with six NFL teams and he was recently selected by the DC Defenders for the XFL’s upcoming spring season.

Seals-Jones is the most notable player among last week’s tryouts. He has played with four NFL teams, hauling in 90 receptions for 1,044 yards with 10 touchdowns in 54 career games (15 starts).

These five players are likely being considered as end-of-season reserve/future contract candidates. Denver will sign players to reserve/future contracts at the end of the regular season in January.

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Broncos bring in CFL quarterback Nathan Rourke for a visit

After scoring 32 TDs in 10 CFL games this spring, quarterback Nathan Rourke is set to visit the Broncos on Tuesday.

The Denver Broncos’ personnel team has had a busy few weeks evaluating quarterback.

Last month, the Broncos brought in QB Jarrett Guarantano for a tryout. Denver then hosted QB Joshua Dobbs for a tryout last week. After losing Josh Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers, the Broncos signed Guarantano to their practice squad on Monday.

Now a third quarterback is on his way to Denver.

The Broncos are set to host Canadian Football League quarterback Nathan Rourke on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Rourke (6-1, 210 pounds) spent one year playing JUCO football at Fort Scott before transferring to Ohio University. After leading the Bobcats to three-straight bowl wins, Rourke went undrafted in the 2021 NFL draft.

Rourke tried out for the New York Giants as a wide receiver but was not signed. He then turned to the CFL. The BC Lions held the QB’s CFL rights after using a second-round pick to select him in the league’s 2020 draft.

Rourke started two games for the Lions in 2021 before becoming the team’s full-time starter ahead of the 2022 season. He completed 78.7% of his passes for 3,349 yards with 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 10 games with the Lions in the spring. Rourke also added 304 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground to his CFL totals.

Russell Wilson seems poised to finish out the year as the Broncos’ starter with Brett Rypien serving as the backup and Guarantano providing depth on the practice squad. So Rourke is likely being considered as a reserve/future contract candidate.

NFL teams can sign players who are not on active rosters to reserve/future contracts at the conclusion of their season. For Denver, that will be Jan. 9.

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CFL star QB Nathan Rourke reportedly visiting Jaguars

CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian is spending Monday visiting the Jaguars.

BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke of the Canadian Football League is on a tour of NFL visits and it included a Monday stop with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Rourke, 24, was named CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian for the 2022 season, earning Top Performer of the Week five times and Top Performer of the Month twice. After the Lions lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Division Finals in November, Rourke announced that he had several NFL workouts lined up.

According to Schefter, that included a stop with the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Rourke is also scheduled to visit the Denver Broncos on Tuesday after spending Monday with the Jaguars.

Jacksonville has its starting quarterback for the foreseeable future in Trevor Lawrence, but could easily be in the market for a backup quarterback.

Second on the depth chart right now is former San Francisco 49ers passer C.J. Beathard, who has thrown five passes over two seasons with the Jaguars. In his four years with the 49ers, Beathard had a 2-10 record as a starter with 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The Jaguars also have undrafted rookie E.J. Perry on the practice squad.

Rourke completed 78.7 percent of his passes during the 2022 season with 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also added 304 rushing yards with seven touchdowns. In May 2021, he tried out with the New York Giants as a wide receiver.

Broncos sign new practice squad QB after losing Josh Johnson

The Broncos have a new QB3: Jarrett Guarantano.

The Denver Broncos have a new quarterback.

A new third-string quarterback, that is.

Denver plans to sign rookie Jarrett Guarantano to its practice squad, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. The Broncos have an open spot on the practice squad for Guarantano after losing backup quarterback Josh Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers.

Guarantano (6-4, 230 pounds) played four years at Tennessee before a graduate transfer to Washington State in 2021. Guarantano completed 61.1% of his passes for 6,174 yards with 38 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 41 games with the Volunteers. He was limited to just two games with the Cougars last year due to a knee injury.

After going undrafted in April, Guarantano signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a college free agent in May. He started the season on Arizona’s practice squad before being released in October.

Guarantano, who worked out for the team last month, now becomes Denver’s QB3 behind starter Russell Wilson and backup Brett Rypien.

The Broncos also plan to bring in CFL quarterback Nathan Rourke for a visit on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Guarantano already being added might a sign that Rourke is being considered as an end-of-season reserve/future contract candidate.

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Campbell: ‘There’s always a possibility’ for the Lions to add another QB

Detroit coach Dan Campbell left open the chance for the Lions to seek out a different backup QB than either Tim Boyle or David Blough

Could the Detroit Lions still be in the market for a potential upgrade at the backup quarterback spot? Head coach Dan Campbell flung open that door of opportunity prior to Thursday’s practice session.

Here’s what Campbell said when asked if the Lions were open to bringing in another quarterback after the final set of roster cutdowns, which takes place next Tuesday, August 30th:

“There’s always a possibility. That goes with any position. I mean, we’re still number two on the claim list. So, at the end of this, there’s nothing to say that just because somebody has made our roster that they’re staying that way. And those guys know that, they understand that.”

Reading between the lines, Campbell continues to show a relative lack of enthusiasm in the battle between Tim Boyle and David Blough. Prior to the answer above, Campbell offered this assessment of the ongoing competition between the two QBs the Lions re-signed this offseason,

“Yeah, I mean I think what we need is we need somebody to really take the reigns here (at backup QB),” Campbell stated. “I mean, somebody needs to step up out of the two and I thought they both progressed last week. Now, somebody needs to step up and run this offense, play efficient, play smart, take care of the football, get us the first downs, and when we get down to the red zone, score touchdowns for us.”

Campbell said that he sees Boyle earning the start in the preseason finale in Pittsburgh. Neither Lions passer showed much in Saturday’s preseason win in Indianapolis, with Boyle at least being accurate and avoiding mistakes. Blough threw a bad interception a week after giving away a costly fumble in the preseason opener.

The lack of confidence in the status quo has been a constant presence amongst both the fans and Lions media all summer. Boyle appears to have the inside track, but his underwhelming play in three games in 2021 in Detroit is difficult to overlook.

The current available QB market isn’t exactly inspiring, to say the least. Brett Hundley, Kurt Benkert and Anthony Gordon are the only current free agents under 30 years old who could even be considered as upgrades to Blough or Boyle, and none of them have any experience in the Lions’ offense or chemistry with the receivers. That market could change after next week’s roster cutdowns, however.

One wild-card choice I personally would have liked Detroit to consider is Nathan Rourke of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. The former Ohio Bobcats standout is having an astonishing CFL season, his second north of the border. Alas, Rourke quite recently suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot and is out for some time.

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